At 56, Louise Taheny has lived a very big life. The twists and turns and setbacks have truly made her who she is today; a very remarkable woman, as you’re about to hear. Louise was born and raised in regional South Australia, and met her husband John, a farmer, in her early 20s. They knew they wanted a big family. First came Edwina, then Tom, Lucy, Will and then, their youngest, Hugo. After five children in six years, when Hugo was born, Louise knew instantly that things weren’t the same as her other babies. A few days after his birth, Hugo was diagnosed with Down syndrome, and that came with its own kind of challenges. More than a decade on, Louise’s husband had a stroke, and then unbelievably in 2022, their son Will was a passenger in a car accident that left him a quadriplegic. But just wait until you hear what both Hugo and Will have been up to despite their challenges. Over the years, again and again, everything Louise knew, particularly as a mother, was tested, but her positivity and love for her family has shone through all the hardships. So, after everything that has been thrown her way, what has she learned? This is Louise Taheny’s story. 

Our 2025 Summer podcast sponsor NBN is helping bridge the digital gap by providing fast, reliable internet to rural communities and families just like yours. Whether it’s for business,education, health and support, or staying connected with loved ones - nbn’s commitment to rural Australia is shaping a more connected and inclusive future. We’re excited to have them onboard, and also thank them for being the major partner of Motherland Connect! To learn more about how NBN is supporting rural communities, visit nbnco.com.au. 

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Raechel writes songs about things that matter. Her childhood was spent performing in her family band and instilled a connection to rural Australia. She spent most of her early years living in a caravan while travelling and performing, before establishing herself as one of Australia's most promising new country artists. Her debut album ‘Finally Clear’ debuted at #1 on ARIA Australian Country Charts, and her highly anticipated sophomore album, ‘what a time to be alive’ was released in 2024.  I sat down with Raech to talk about motherhood, rural life, and importantly, why she wrote a song about her miscarriage. This is her story.

Warning: this episode discusses preganancy loss. If you need support, please contact Red Nose Grief and Loss who offer a 24/7 support line on 1300 308 307

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Shanna is the founder, CEO, and face behind Sober in the Country, a nationally respected grassroots not-for-profit, shifting the entire conversation around booze in the bush. Shan almost lost her life to trauma-linked alcohol addiction a decade ago and then chose to use her second chance to advocate for other rural and remote people just like her. In our very candid chat, we cover everything from Shan's childhood in Zimbabwe, her struggle with addiction, Sober in the Country's impact, and the toxic 'mummy wine culture'. Motherhood is also something we touch on, and it's very difficult for Shan to talk about.  She's always wanted to become a mum - but never got the chance. A warning: today's episode touches on mental health, suicide, trauma, and sexual assault. If you need help, support services are listed below:

Lifeline 13 11 14
Sober in the Country: www.soberinthecountry.org
Family Drug Support 1300 368 186
Family Member Help: 1300 660 068

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Kate McKittrick is based in Mudgee, NSW, and has three adult children (including twins). As her kids were growing up, her focus was on supporting them through boarding school, until one day it was Kate who needed all the support. After taking some very common over the counter medicine to help with the cold she thought she had, she had a severe allergic reaction. The outcome was catastrophic. A rare immune response caused her skin to blister and peel, and she spent 3 weeks in the burns ward, but unbelievably, the worst was yet to come. Weeks after leaving hospital, Kate lost her right eye, and her sight in the other is slowly deteriorating. Despite facing a potential future in the dark, Kate's story is still one full of hope and light. This is her story. 

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Chris Bath has been a much loved and respected journalist since the late 80's and many of us, including myself, grew up watching her on our TV screens. She's interviewed Presidents, Prime Ministers and popstars, and pushed herself way outside her comfort zone when she carved up the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars! Chris met her husband Jim Wilson at work. The news anchor fell in love with the sports anchor, it's like something out of a movie, and very funny! In 2015, Chris resigned from Channel 7 where she'd worked for 20 years, and before she knew it, she'd fallen head over heels for another industry... farming. She's got one grown up son, and now lives full time on a farm in the Lower Hunter in NSW...she's an accidental beekeeper with an incredible love for the land. How she ended up here is quite the tale, and you're going to love her! This is her story.

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Some of us know Kaitie Nash from Instagram, she proudly calls herself 'the first time farmer', and is part of a growing number of farmfluencer mums online, sharing real, relatable and often hilarious content about life on the land. But farm life hasn't always been a laughing matter for Kaitie. She moved to her husband's family property in the middle of a drought, while still adjusting to motherhood with two very young kids. Her mental health plummeted and in our chat she opens up about her very personal journey with that. Kaitie has been a lot of things, even a flight attendant! Farmer was never part of the plan. Today, you'll hear all about the ups and the downs, plus what happened when she got bitten by a snake when she was home alone with the kids. This is her story.

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Sadie Chrestman was living a stones throw away from the famous Coca-Cola sign in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, living a very urban life, when she was set up on a blind date. Sadie, who had just turned 40, knew that she wanted to have kids and settle down, she also knew she wanted more space. And it turns out the man she was set up on a date with wanted the exact same thing. You might know Sadie’s name from the long-running SBS series Gourmet Farmer. The person she was set up with in 2007 was none other than chef turned food critic turned farmer Matthew Evans. The only problem was, when they met, Matthew was about to move to Tasmania to start a new life as a farmer. Sadie moved to Tasmania’s Huon Valley when she was 7 months pregnant and very quickly, she found herself learning how to be a mum, and a farmer in a new community, in a different state. Now, Sadie and Matthew run Fat Pig Farm and their son, Hedley, is 15. This is her story.

A warning this episode touches on miscarriage. If you need support, head to Red Nose HERE.

The Regional Tech Hub is shining a spotlight on ‘connectivity for education’, helping families navigate how best to connect your loved ones for school, university, TAFE and other online learning. Stay tuned for more detail in January 2025. The Regional Tech Hub is here to help us navigate the complex world of connectivity and the high demand for accessible and impartial advice on phone and internet solutions to support you and your family. Visit the RegionalTechHub.org.au to find out more about their FREE and independent service.

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At 35, Kerry O’Sullivan was busy running her 90,000-acre cattle station near Clermont in QLD. On the surface life was great. Kerry had a successful business, lived next door to her 3 sisters and parents, all on neighbouring properties, and spent her weekends at campdrafts. But Kerry knew deep down that she really wanted to be a mum. The only problem was, she’d never met the right person. At 35, Kerry started the process of doing it on her own, but at a routine doctor's appointment, she was told that her body didn’t produce eggs. And while it was a devastating discovery, it didn’t stop her. Kerry began researching egg and sperm donors and IVF clinics. There was talk of embryos from America, but then COVID hit. Thankfully, she found a way to do it all, closer to home. Now Kerry is a mum to two little kids, Joe, who was born in 2022 and Dulcie who was born in 2023. Kerry sits down with me for a very honest conversation about her journey to motherhood, and what she’d tell people who find themselves in a similar situation to her. This is her story.

The Regional Tech Hub has helped more than 300,000 people around rural Australia with free and independent advice on getting connected and staying connected to vital internet and voice services. The team can help answer all your connectivity questions. Visit the RegionalTechHub.org.au to find out more about their FREE and independent service.

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Since 2018, Michelle Moriarty’s life has been split into two halves. Before the love of her life, Nathan died, and after. Michelle and Nathan were raising their family in regional WA after a romance, Michelle says was for the ages. Michelle was working as a social worker, Nathan and her were a team, and life was pretty good. But on the 10th of June 2018, everything changed. Michelle’s grief was all-consuming and isolating despite the village she had around her. She knew then that she didn’t want any other person to feel that way, so she founded Grief Connect - a Young Widowed Support group, and online hub where widowed men and women could come and have honest conversations about the realities of losing loved ones. And then, four years later after losing her father, she founded a similar group for widowers over 55 .Michelle is a remarkable woman and today she shares her grief, her joy, what it was like learning to love again, and how she’s mothered through it all. This is Michelle’s story.

The Regional Tech Hub’s mission is simple: to equip anyone living or working in rural Australia with trusted connectivity advice to help unlock new technologies, boost innovation, and create a connected future.

The team can help answer all your connectivity questions. Visit the https://regionaltechhub.org.au to find out more about their FREE and independent service.

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This month, Motherland celebrates the positive impact our charity partner, the Isolated Children’s Parents Association, continues to make for families just like yours everyday. Their wonderful volunteers together have created branches throughout rural Australia - and their ‘relentless and always on’ advocacy continues to build and grow better educational outcomes for our kids. 

To bring this incredible work to life, today’s episode features one of their own, Steph Cowper. Steph wears many hats but her commitment to education and dedication to continuous learning shines through. 

Today you’ll hear about Steph’s own motherhood journey...from relocating from a coastal town to rural Queensland, losing her identity after her two kids were born and throwing herself into study, the realities of being married to a FIFO worker and her daughter’s early anxiety diagnosis. This is her story.

If you’re a parent at any stage of the education journey and are keen to make a difference, join the ICPA community today. Head to icpa.com.au to sign up and support their important work and give our kids the opportunities they deserve.

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